The Philosophy of Love and Peace
by JasperK
Summary: Wolfwood argues the philosophy of love and peace with the folk on the SeedS ship while waiting for Vash. Spoilers (if you have not read Trigun Maximum bk 2 ch6 onwards or seen Ep 20 in the Anime)


Spoilers (if you have not read Trigun Maximum bk 2 ch6 onwards or seen Ep 20 in the Anime)

And if you have, you'll see that this short is not canon to either, I sort of merged them and did what I liked with it…

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The room on the SeedS ship was, as the entire ship was, claustrophobic. From a tactical standpoint, it was a sitting trap, having limited entrances. It made Wolfwood irritable and broody, and not in the least because the people on board had a gentle peaceful nature so unlike any he had encountered outside. His mind jammed on that thought, unlike anyone, except Vash. He tried to dislodge the discomfort by expressing it.

"Hey, Doc, I just don't see how Vash can think that way, to talk of peace, then to be able to fight as he does. He is a contradiction. He just gets hurt, why does he bother?"

The Doctor regarded Wolfwood for a thoughtful moment.

"Perhaps you would understand it, being a man of the cloth."

"What does that mean?" Brad growled at the insinuation.

"I mean that it is a peculiar matter, something priests, philosophers and psychiatrists may find interesting."

Brad glared at Wolfwood, realizing he was in over his head and resenting it already. The Doctor did not see his expression as he had turned back to Wolfwood.

"I suppose one could say that he wants peace."

There was silence as the various parties tried to work out if this was the conclusion or the introduction of the argument.

"Love and peace." Jessica echoed his oft-repeated phrase with a broad smile making Brad scowl more darkly at Wolfwood for raising the subject.

"I know that." Wolfwood said dismissively to the Doctor. "I want peace, everyone does, but to risk your life for it like he does? It's an ideal, it'll never happen, what is the point?"

The Doctor gazed at Wolfwood, thoughtfully, as if he understood more about him from that statement than the priest had wanted to share.

"It has to do with his faith in people."

Wolfwood began to laugh derisively.

"Faith?" He choked out.

"It is why he does it." The Doctor said, eyeing him evenly. "He believes every person is worth protecting, that they are worth drawing towards the pursuit," he gave a gentle nod towards Jessica who smiled, "of love and peace."

"Faith is the answer?" Brad sounded as confused as Wolfwood felt though he did not show it; he cordially disliked the young man who showed so much disdain for him.

Wolfwood took out a rumpled cigarette as he did when he needed to think and found Brad glaring in distaste at it. He lit up and coolly breathed a plume in the aggravating man's direction.

"Faith is a peculiar thing." The Doctor mused, watching Brad as if assessing how much he would understand. "If one has enough faith in an ideal it becomes a way of life, as it has for Vash."

"It is all a habit?" Brad puzzled out. "But you once said that he thought of all people as his kin. That's, well," he scowled at the floor, avoiding Jessica's eyes, angry at trapping himself into using his rival's words, "that's like, love. Love is not a habit." He glowered at Wolfwood.

"You are right; it is too shallow a thought to consider it a habit. Love is a better description. More truthfully, a deep belief that people are worthy of the respect, honor and life that love can bestow, even if they do not know it themselves. While they may do all they can to destroy him, he will react as he does, in apparent contradiction." The Doctor looked into Wolfwood's eyes. "And that, not his marksmanship, is his true power."

Wolfwood darkly considered the secret half coin he wore in his coat, marveling at how the Doctor calmly turned to Jessica and Brad, and continued the conversation unaware of the key he had just given him. He felt a thrill of icy premonition creep down his spine Legato had seen that truth. He felt strangely awed and ill at the same time, realizing that the game operated on an entirely different level than he had assumed. Legato had set out to destroy Vash's body and incongruous soft heart, but Knives … . His mind shied away from the thought of his ultimate employer, but not without leaving the very bleak reality that Knives wanted to destroy the very beliefs by which Vash lived. No wonder Knives had wanted him protected; he could only be killed once the philosophy by which he lived had died.

Jessica laughed, distracting him from his thoughts.

"Love and peace."

Wolfwood froze at Vash's voice. He had not heard him enter the room. He focused his eyes on the long stem of ash that had been his neglected cigarette. The happy, yet empty laugh that followed that statement was so like Vash. Wolfwood considered that emptiness, and felt a touch of worry, perhaps Knives was closer to his intention than he thought. For Vash, the faith was for others, not himself. Wolfwood pushed the realization of that weakness to the very back of his mind, and understood for the first time why he was intentionally rebelling against Knives. He took a final draw on his cigarette and the ash dropped in chunks to the floor. He would have to do something to help fill that emptiness if he could. He raised his eyes, catching Jessica's doe eyed stare of bliss directed at Vash and panicked a bit. He knew then that he was, perhaps in a less demonstrative way, no less tightly caught than she was.

"Oi, Needle Noggin." He growled at Vash, who was innocently leading Jessica on with his attentions and dangerously close to having Brad brain him. "We need to get going."

Vash gave him such a puppy dog smile that Wolfwood suddenly felt the urge to join Brad in clouting him. He took his temper out on his cigarette butt, which he crushed rather too vigorously under his shoe.

"Okay." Vash said easily, though sadly, his eyes flickering to the group around him and the walls of the ship.

Wolfwood hunched his shoulders, frustrated. The stupid man loved not only the people, but the entire place, the ship too. He brooded on a way to pick a fight; he needed an excuse to pound the man for having made him think such thoughts. Love and peace? Hah! With the wool-brained soppiness, and the aching emptiness that went with it, he could keep it.


End file.
